Stoddard County associate commissioner removed from office for nepotism

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. — A Stoddard County associate commissioner has been removed from office after being found guilty of nepotism.

According to Stodddard County Prosecuting Attorney Russell Oliver, on Friday, Dec. 30, the final judgment was made that Associate Commissioner Steve Jordan had committed the offense of nepotism in violation of the Missouri constitutional ban on such conduct, and he was permanently removed from the associate commissioner position.

A trial was conducted Dec. 20 at the Stoddard County Courthouse in Bloomfield, where evidence was presented that Jordan had nominated and appointed his son-in-law to an elected public office on the Board of Directors for Water District No. 5 of Stoddard County.

At the conclusion of the trial, the judge took the matter under advisement to consider the legal briefs that were submitted by Oliver and Jordan.

The case was initially filed by Oliver on Sept. 21. On that day, the presiding circuit judge for Stoddard County issued a preliminary order preventing Jordan from exercising any authority or duties of his elective office. With the final decision of the trial court, that preliminary order was made permanent.

According to Oliver, the office previously held by Jordan is now officially vacant subject to appointment of a new commissioner in his place.